How Can I Be Gentler Than This? Poem by Ravi Kopra

aur kyā is se ziyāda koī narmī bartūñ
dil ke zaḳhmoñ ko chhuā hai tire gāloñ kī tarah

JAAN NISAR AKHTAR

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How can I be gentler than this?
I touch the wounds of my heart
as I touch your soft face.

How can I be more soft spoken?
Everyone already complains
I speak in whispers.

Why do you speak in whispers?
asked the honorable Ali bin Jinah.
I am buried deep down in sorrows
My voice can't escape the grave.

Married last month
and now divorce. How come?
She was a gold digger, I did not know.

I hear your wife shouting at you loudly,
more recently. And now your dog and cat
are dead. I hope all is well with you.

Thank you for asking. By mistake she
fed my food to the pets first.

The weather is crazy these days. One day
burninghot, the next day freezing cold.

Yes, I know. Just like my poor heart.
All on fire when she smiles at me and
minus twenty celsius when she scolds.

How is your life these days, mullah 'Ravi'?
Allah has given me everything - homes
hawelis, silver, gold, camels, goats except
women in my harem. I have only four.